muslims

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hijab

Voice | ‘I have finally accepted myself’ — an Ingush woman’s coming-of-age tale

by Volodymyr Soboliev

•7 min read

Growing up in Ingushetia, Zarina (not her real name), struggled with traditions that she felt restricted her. After fights with her family, a brief marriage, and a religious awakening, Zarina says she has now finally accepted herself for who she is. ‘When I was younger, I was not allowed to cut off my braid even though I was awfully sick of it. I couldn’t even cut my fringe. When I became a student, I was told: “Now you can have a haircut — just do it neatly, as we love”.’ ‘So I went to g

adigeni

Voice from Meskheti | ‘Whether in rain or thunderstorms, we pray outside’

by Dato Parulava

•4 min read

After a dispute broke out between Christians and Muslims over the ruins of a building in the village of Mokhe, in southwest Georgia’s Adigeni Municipality, the government stepped in to resolve the situation by pledging to build a new mosque. The building in question, which Muslims in the village claim is a mosque but Christians believe was constructed on the ruins of a church, has been officially declared a ‘disputed building’. The Mokhe Commission, which was created to determine

Batumi

Georgia’s Muslim authority should represent the interests of Georgia’s Muslims, not the government’s [Opinion]

by Volodymyr Soboliev

•4 min read

The Administration of Muslims of All Georgia is supposed to represent the interests of all of Georgia’s Muslims. However, instead of responding to community concerns — it acts in concert with the state. To support the political integration of Georgia’s Muslims it must undertake reforms. The Administration of Muslims of all Georgia was established in 2011 as a non-governmental agency; its stated goals are to protect the interests and historical heritage of Georgia’s Muslim communities and

Batumi

Muslims in Batumi are becoming impatient for second mosque

by Volodymyr Soboliev

•5 min read

Muslims in Batumi are in desperate need of more space to practice their religion. However, suspicion, opposition, and Turkophobia from local politicians and Christian Orthodox activists is leaving them out in the cold. Muslims from Batumi, the capital of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara in southwest Georgia, gather at the city’s only mosque, Orta, to pray. But every week, during Friday prayers, when the number of worshippers is significantly large, people cannot squeeze into the mosque, an

Feature Stories

Imam of Pankisi: There is no ‘radicalisation’ here

by Volodymyr Soboliev

•7 min read

Salafi imam of Pankisi, Bekkhan Pareulidze, sat down with OC Media for an exclusive interview, in which he discussed the region’s religious divisions, the outflow of young Kists to Syria, and the role civil society has to play in the valley. Since the 1990s, Pankisi Valley, in the northeast of Georgia, has attracted international attention as a wild and dangerous place, due to it’s association with Chechen fighters, drug trafficking, and violence. Although nowadays Pankisi is a peaceful rur